March Game Commentary
Bucs Lose in OT
Lincoln, NE (3.3.01): The Buccaneers battled the USHL league leading Lincoln Stars to a 3-3 tie in regulation play, only to lose in OT when a puck deflected off a Buccaneer into the net. It was a night when the breaks all went Lincoln's way.
Lincoln's first goal came on a powerplay in the first period. The Bucs first goal also came in the second period when Groslie took a pass from Yurecko and stuffed it into the wide-open net. The Stars had lost track of Gus and paid the price. Ross Carlson got his fifth goal of the season on a rocket to tie the game 2-2. Ross has one of the hardest shots of all the Buccaneers. Lincoln had their open-net shot just 30 seconds later when Mantua found himself out of postion.
The only goal came in the third period when Ross Carlson tied up the puck behind the net and somehow got it in front to Wade Chiodo.
The Bucs came out on fire, having a 4-0-2 record in overtime play. Unfortunately, the puck took a bad bounce. The Bucs still picked up a point for the OT.
Groslie (Yurecko, Klema), Carlson (Unassisted), and Chiodo (Unassisted) scored for the Bucs. Mantua was in goal and faced 43 shots.
| Team | Score | Scoring | Shots | PIM | Powerplays | Winning Goalie (Saves-Shots) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LINCOLN | 4 (OT) | 1-2-0-1 | 43 | 14 | 1-4 | Fritz (30-33) |
| Des Moines | 3 | 0-2-1-0 | 33 | 10 | 0-6 | Mantua (39-43) |
| LINCOLN: Dore (2G,GW), Fournier (G,PP), Snowden (G) | ||||||
| DES MOINES: Groslie (G), Carlson (G), Chiodo (G | ||||||
| Attendance: 5,010 | ||||||
Omaha Blasts Bucs
Omaha, NE (3.4.01): Fans at AKSARBEN arena who came to see a traditional hard-fought game between Omaha and Des Moines went away disappointed as the Lancers took it to the Bucs, 6-2.
The Lancers scored 3 goals in the first period, two in the second, and one in the third before the Bucs even got on the board. With 8 minutes to play in the game, Andy Nelson tipped-in a shot from the blue line by Joe Campbell. Three minutes later Doug Meyer picked up his 25th goal of the season, but it was too little, too late.
Nelson (Campbell, Kirchhoff) and Meyer (Martensson) scored for the Bucs. Brown was in goal.
Jeff Yurecko puts the puck in the net.
Solid D Wins Game
Des Moines, IA (3.9.01): Coach Tom Carroll credited solid defensive play and strong forechecking by the forwards for a 4-1 win over Dubuque. The defensive play held Dubuque to just 15 shots on goal.
The win over Dubuque gave the Bucs a 4 game season sweep, and marked the last time the Bucs would play the Fighting Saints - ever. The Saints are moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma to become the Tulsa Crude. Dubuque can be proud of their overall record, having won 2 Anderson Cups, 3 Clark Cups, and 3 National Championships.
The Buccaneers got on the board first when Jeff Yurecko powered his way past the blue line and connected on a hard slap shot in the first period. Joe Campbell added a goal in the second, and Doug Meyer and Wade Chiodo scored in the third. Mike Mantua lost his shut-out with 1:33 to go in the game when Dubuque scord their lone goal.
Yurecko (Klema), Campbell (Meyer), Meyer (PP) (Klema, Bennett) and Chiodo (EN) (Unassisted) scored for the Bucs. Mantua was in goal and faced 15 shots.
| Team | Score | Scoring | Shots | PIM | Powerplays | Winning Goalie (Saves-Shots) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DES MOINES | 4 | 1-1-2 | 43 | 18 | 1-2 | Mantua (14-15) |
| Dubuque | 1 | 0-0-1 | 15 | 4 | 0-4 | Ruden (39-42) |
| DES MOINES: Meyer (G,A,PP), Campbell (GW), Yurecko (G), Chiodo (G) | ||||||
| DUBUQUE: Fulghum (G) | ||||||
| Attendance: 3,032 | ||||||
Bucs Win Penalty Filled Game
Des Moines, IA (3.10.01): In a game with over 160 minutes in penalties and 5 fights, the Bucs were able to score 5 (of 10) powerplay goals and win 8-2. The Buc defense limited Sioux City to just 1 goal in 7 tries.
The Bucs scored on a powerplay with just two minutes gone in the game, then Ryan Kirchhoff scored again three minutes later to take a 2-0 lead. The Bucs continued their onslaught with three goals in the second period and two in the third.
Yurecko (PP) (Chiodo, Campbell), Kirchhoff (Unassisted), Groslie (PP) (Chiodo, Campbell), Langdon (Reimers), Yurecko (PP) (Irwin, Meyer), Jernberg (Meyer, Bennett), Bennett (PP) (Klema, Meyer) and Langdon (PP) (Klema, Bennett) scored for the Bucs. Brown was in goal and faced 28 shots.
| Team | Score | Scoring | Shots | PIM | Powerplays | Winning Goalie (Saves-Shots) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DES MOINES | 8 | 3-3-2 | 34 | 87 | 5-10 | Brown (26-28) |
| Sioux City | 2 | 1-0-1 | 28 | 91 | 1-8 | Panik (26-34) |
| DES MOINES: Yurecko (2G,2PP), Langdon (2G,PP), Bennett (G,2A,PP), Groslie (GW,PP), Jernberg (G), Meyer (3A), Kirchhoff (G) | ||||||
| SIOUX CITY: Klann (G), Zancanaro (G,PP) | ||||||
| Attendance: 3,493 | ||||||
Tri-City Blanks Des Moines
Kearney, NE (3.13.01): In a February 9 make-up game, Tri-City beat the Bucs for the second time in a row, this time 2-0. The Buccaneers did not play a bad game, they just looked like they were going through the motions and were not interested in winning.
| Team | Score | Scoring | Shots | PIM | Powerplays | Winning Goalie (Saves-Shots) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRI-CITY | 2 | 0-0-2 | 30 | 8 | 0-3 | Bruckler (27-27) |
| Des Moines | 0 | 0-0-0 | 27 | 6 | 0-4 | Mantua (28-30) |
| TRI-CITY: Kelly (GW,A), Troje (G) | ||||||
| Attendance: 4,546 | ||||||
Bucs Avenge Loss
Des Moines, IA (3.16.01): The Buccaneers avenged a January 5 loss to the the Gamblers by beating the USHL leading goaltender five times - far above his less than two goals per game average. Gus Groslie picked up a shorthanded goal and Dave Klema notched two goals in the win.
| Team | Score | Scoring | Shots | PIM | Powerplays | Winning Goalie (Saves-Shots) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DES MOINES | 5 | 1-2-2 | 35 | 10 | 0-6 | Brown (35-36) |
| Green Bay | 1 | 1-0-0 | 36 | 12 | 1-5 | Penko (26-30) |
| DES MOINES: Groslie (GW,2A,SH), Klema (2G,A), Bjurstrom (G), Langdon (G) | ||||||
| GREEN BAY: Swanson (G,PP) | ||||||
| Attendance: 3,493 | ||||||
During an altercation at the end of the period, Mike Mantua is restrained from joining the fray.
Classic Battle Ends in Buc Defeat
Des Moines, IA (3.18.01): The final regular season home game ended in a classic battle with the arch-rival Omaha Lancers. Both teams played solid defense, bolstered by stellar goaltending. The only goal scored in the game came on a powerplay goal in the second period by the Lancers - enough for a 1-0 victory over the Buccaneers.
The Buccaneers played a great first period getting 12 shots on goal - and would have had more had not the Omaha D done so well blocking at least 8 others. The stats said that Mantua had 4 saves in the first period, but that figure was very generous.
The refs continued their generosity by handing out penalties to the Buccaneers, including a 5 minute major to Yurecko and booting him off the ice.
The Buccaneers have two games remaining before facing Omaha or Sioux Falls in the Clark Cup playoffs. As the fifth seed, the Bucs will play two games at home and three in Omaha.
| Team | Score | Scoring | Shots | PIM | Powerplays | Winning Goalie (Saves-Shots) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha | 1 | 0-1-0 | 21 | 14 | 1-4 | Fraser (29-29) |
| DES MOINES | 0 | 0-0-0 | 29 | 35 | 0-5 | Mantua (20-21) |
| OMAHA: Welch (GW,PP) | ||||||
| Attendance: 3,233 | ||||||
Bennett's Hat Trick Not Enough
Sioux City, IA (3.23.01): Ryan Bennett's hat trick, his first of the year, was not enought to beat a Sioux City team playing for home ice in the Clark Cup Playoffs.
Sioux City took a 2-0 lead in the first period when Klann scored 2 goals just 17 seconds apart. Klann went on to get a hat trick on the night. The Bucs pulled within one when they scored late in the first period, but Sioux City ran it up to 5-1 before the Bucs could score again, which was late in the third period.
Bennett (Schwan), Bennett (PP) (Klema, Reimers) and Bennett (PP) (Yurecko, Klema) scored for the Bucs. Brown and Mantua were in goal, and faced a combined total of 34 shots.
| Team | Score | Scoring | Shots | PIM | Powerplays | Winning Goalie (Saves-Shots) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SIOUX CITY | 6 | 2-2-2 | 37 | 29 | 0-3 | Panik (26-29) |
| Des Moines | 3 | 1-0-2 | 29 | 23 | 2-7 | Brown (12-16) |
| SIOUX CITY: Klann (HAT TRICK), Judy (GW,A), Zancanaro (G,SH), Schwartz (G) | ||||||
| DES MOINES: Bennett (HAT TRICK,2PP) | ||||||
| Attendance: 1,804 | ||||||
Regular Season Ends in Loss
Kearney, NE (3.24.01): Slowed by injuries, the Buccaneers closed the regular season with a 5-2 loss to the Tri-city Storm.
The outcome of the game had no effect on the Buccaneer's in the playoffs, but Tri-City was battling to step up a level - playing Green Bay instead of Lincoln in Round 1.
The Bucs opened the scoring late in the first period on a re-direct by Gus Groslie. Twenty seconds into the second period, Ryan Kirchhoff unleashed his deadly backhand to make it 2-0.
Tri-City came roaring back, scoring 5 unanswered goals, 3 of which were scored in less than three minutes during the second period.
The Bucs now turn their attention to next Friday night and the Omaha Lancers in game one, round one, of the Clark Cup playoffs.
Groslie (Martensson, Reimers) and Kirchhoff (Bennett, Reimers) scored for the Bucs. Mantua was in goal and made 22 saves.
| Team | Score | Scoring | Shots | PIM | Powerplays | Winning Goalie (Saves-Shots) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRI-CITY | 5 | 0-3-2 | 28 | 19 | 2-5 | Bruckler (25-27) |
| Des Moines | 2 | 1-1-0 | 27 | 23 | 0-3 | Mantua (23-28) |
| TRI-CITY: Swon (G,2A,PP), Hart (G,A), Romfo (GW), Luger (G), Kelly (G,PP) | ||||||
| DES MOINES: Groslie (G), Kirchhoff (G) | ||||||
| Attendance: 4,675 | ||||||
| February Game Summaries | 2000-2001 Schedule | Clark Cup Game Summaries |
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Disclaimer
This is a game summary and commentary from a Buccaneer fan's point of view, and the viewpoints expressed in this column DO NOT necessarily reflect those of the Des Moines Buccaneer's organization.